ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Z-scheme photocatalyst plates using antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) as a conductive mediator for solar water splitting

Cholgu Kim, Jimyong Yang, Kumhyok Ri, Daesong Jong, Jinhyok Ri, Geyongsong Vak, and Sangmo Jon

Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kim Chaek University of Technology, Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

E-mail: jsm7312@star-co.net.kp

Received: 6 February 2025  Accepted: 15 May 2025

Abstract:

Printable photocatalyst plates have the potential to use in water splitting system for practicality of solar hydrogen production. In this system, transparent conductive nanoparticles can be inserted as a conductive mediator between hydrogen evolution photocatalyst (HEP) and oxygen evolution photocatalyst (OEP) to promote water splitting reaction. In this paper, we propose a printable SrTiO₃:La,Rh/ATO/BiVO₄:Mo photocatalyst plates incorporating a cost-effective ATO nanoparticles as conductive mediator for Z-scheme water splitting. The photocatalyst plates achieve an apparent quantum efficiency of 6.8% at a wavelength of 420 nm, with a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency (STH) of 0.26%. ATO nanoparticles with excellent visible transparency and electrochemically inert facilitate the charge transfer between HEP and OEP particles. These results show that the nanoparticulate ATO is suitable for promising conductive mediator in the low-cost photocatalyst plates for Z-scheme water splitting.

Keywords: Z-scheme; Solar water splitting; Photocatalyst plate; Conductive mediator; Antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO)

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-025-04135-z

Chemical Papers 79 (9) 5707–5716 (2025)